Ukunakekela Izisulu Zenhlekelele YaseRwanda

IRWANDA, esenkabeni ye-Afrika, ibibizwa ngokuthi “iSwitzerland yase-Afrika.” Uhlaza olwenile olubonwa abantu bedlula ngendiza phezu kwalelizwe luye lwabanikeza umbono wensimu yase-Edene. Akumangalisi ukuthi bebevame ukuchaza iRwanda ngokuthi ipharadesi.

Kwake kwaba nesikhathi lapho emthini ngamunye owawugawulwa kwakutshalwa emibili esikhundleni sawo. Usuku olulodwa onyakeni lwalunikezelwe ekuvuseleleni amahlathi. Imithi yezithelo yayitshalwe eduze kwemigwaqo. Ukuhamba kulo lonke izwe kwakungenamibandela futhi kulula. Imigwaqo emikhulu eyayihlanganisa izifunda ezihlukahlukene nenhloko-dolobha, iKigali, yayingeyetiyela. Inhloko-dolobha yayichuma. Umuntu oyisisebenzi esivamile wayehola imali eyanele ekupheleni kwenyanga ukuze aziphilise.

Umsebenzi wobuKristu woFakazi BakaJehova nawo wawuchuma eRwanda. Ekuqaleni kwalonyaka oFakazi abangaphezu kuka-2 600 bebehilelekile ekuyiseni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu emphakathini ongamaKatolika ayizigidi ezingaba ngu-8. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngo-March oFakazi babeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingaphezu kuka-10 000 emakhaya alababantu. Futhi kwakunamabandla angu-15 eKigali nasezindaweni zangakhona.

Umbonisi ojikelezayo woFakazi BakaJehova waphawula: “Ngo-November 1992, ngangikhonza amabandla angu-18. Kodwa ngo-March 1994, ayesande aba ngu-27. Inani lamaphayona (izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele) nalo lalanda njalo ngonyaka.” NgoMgqibelo, ngo-March 26, 1994, ababekhona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu babengu-9 834.

Khona-ke, ngokuphazima kweso nje izinto zaguquka ngokwesabekayo eRwanda.a

Ukuphela Ngokuphazima Kweso Komthetho Omisiwe

Ngo-April 6, 1994, cishe ngo-8:00 ebusuku, umongameli waseRwanda nowaseBurundi, bobabili ababengamaHutu, bafa lapho kuphahlazeka indiza eKigali. Ngalobobusuku izimpempe zamaphoyisa zazikhala yonke indawo kuleyonhloko-dolobha, futhi imigwaqo yavalwa. Kwathi kusempondozankomo, amasosha namadoda ayehlome ngocelemba aqala ukubulala abantu abangamaTutsi. UNtabana Eugène—umbonisi wedolobha woFakazi BakaJehova eKigali—umkakhe, indodana yakhe, nendodakazi yakhe babephakathi kwalabo ababulawa kuqala.

Umkhaya wabaMhlophe ongoFakazi BakaJehova wawufunde iBhayibheli nomakhelwane abaningana abangamaTutsi. Abangu-9 kulabomakhelwane bazifihla ekhaya lalaba abaMhlophe njengoba ababulali abangenangqondo babehamba indlu ngendlu. Ngokushesha nje kwase kunabaphangi abangu-40 endlini, bephohloza izinto futhi beketula ifenisha. Ngokudabukisayo, babulawa labomakhelwane abangamaTutsi. Nokho, abanye, naphezu kwemizamo yabo yokusindisa abangane babo, bavunyelwa ukuba babaleke basindise ukuphila kwabo.

Lokhu kuceka kwaqhubeka amasonto amaningana. Ekugcineni kwalinganiselwa ekutheni kwafa abantu baseRwanda abangu-500 000 noma ngaphezulu. Izinkulungwane zathi galo yephuka zisindisa ukuphila kwazo, ikakhulukazi amaTutsi. Ihhovisi legatsha laseZaire loFakazi BakaJehova lazisa abazalwane baseFrance ngesidingo salo sezinto zosizo. “Sacela ibhokisi lensimbi elikhulu lokuthwala izimpahla elinezingubo ezingamasekeni,” kuchaza igatsha laseZaire. “Abazalwane baseFrance basithumelela amahlanu anezingubo nezicathulo okuningi kwako okwakukusha.” Ngo-June 11, kwathunyelwa amathani ezingubo angaba ngu-65. Igatsha laseKenya nalo lathumelela ababaleki izingubo nemithi, kanye nomagazini be-Nqabayokulinda ngolimi lwabo.

Ngo-July amabutho aphethwe amaTutsi, abizwa ngokuthi i-Rwandan Patriotic Front, ayesewanqobile amabutho kahulumeni aphethwe amaHutu. Ngemva kwalokho, amaHutu aqala ukubaleka kulelozwe ngamakhulu ezinkulungwane. Kwabheduka inxushunxushu njengoba abantu baseRwanda abayizigidi ezimbili noma ngaphezulu babefuna isikhoselo emakamu ababaleki akhiwe ngokuphuthumayo emazweni angomakhelwane.

Bazama Ukusizana

Ababili kwabayisithupha ababesebenza eHhovisi Lokuhumusha loFakazi BakaJehova eKigali babengamaTutsi— u-Ananie Mbanda noMukagisagara Denise. Imizamo yabazalwane abangamaHutu yokubavikela yaphumelela amasonto ambalwa. Nokho, ngasekupheleni kuka-May 1994, laboFakazi ababili abangamaTutsi babulawa.

Befaka engozini ukuphila kwabo, bezidela ngisho nokuzidela, oFakazi BakaJehova bazimisela ukuvikela amaKristu abakanye nawo esizinda sohlanga oluhlukile. (Johane 13:34, 35; 15:13) Ngokwesibonelo, uMukabalisa Chantal ungumTutsi. Lapho amalungu e-Rwandan Patriotic Front efuna amaHutu enkundleni yemidlalo lapho ayehlala khona, wabakhulumela abangane bakhe abangamaHutu. Nakuba lamavukela-mbuso acasulwa yilemizamo yakhe, elinye laphawula: “Nina boFakazi BakaJehova ninabo ngempela ubuzalwane obuqinile. Inkolo yenu ingengcono kunazo zonke!”

Ukungabi Nayo Inzondo Yobuhlanga

Akusho ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova ayibathinti nakancane inzondo yezinhlanga ebilokhu ikhona amakhulu amaningi eminyaka kulengxenye ye-Afrika. Omunye uFakazi waseFrance owayehlanganyela ekusizeni emsebenzini wosizo waphawula: “Ngisho nabazalwane bethu abangamaKristu kumelwe benze umzamo omkhulu ukuze bagweme ukuthonywa yilenzondo, eye yabangela ukubulala okungachazeki.

“Sahlangana nabazalwane ababona imikhaya yabo ibulawa phambi kwabo. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye udade ongumKristu wayenezinsuku ezimbili nje vó eshadile ngesikhathi umyeni wakhe ebulawa. Abanye oFakazi babona izingane zabo nabazali babo bebulawa. Omunye udade, manje ose-Uganda, wabona wonke umkhaya wakhe ubulawa, kuhlanganise nomyeni wakhe. Lokhu kumane nje kuveze ubuhlungu, obungokomzwelo nobungokwenyama, obuye bathinta umkhaya ngamunye woFakazi BakaJehova.”

Sebebonke, bangaba ngu-400 oFakazi ababulawa kuloludlame lohlanga. Kodwa akekho kulaba owafa ngesandla soFakazi akanye nabo. Nokho, amalungu angamaTutsi nangamaHutu esonto lamaRoma Katolika nawamaProthestani, abulala izinkulungwane. Njengoba kunobufakazi obuningi, oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke abahlanganyeli nganoma iyiphi indlela ezimpini, ekuvukeleni umbuso, noma kunoma iziphi izingxabano zalelizwe.—Johane 17:14, 16; 18:36; IsAmbulo 12:9.

Ukuhlupheka Ngendlela Engachazeki

Ebusika obudlule, abantu emhlabeni wonke babona izithombe zokuhlupheka kwabantu okungakholeki. Amakhulu ezinkulungwane ababaleki baseRwanda abonakala egobhozela emazweni angomakhelwane futhi ehlala lapho ngaphansi kwezimo ezingahlanzekile neze. Omunye woFakazi BakaJehova owayesemsebenzini wosizo evela eFrance wachaza isimo iqembu ayehamba nalo elasibona ngo-July 30 ngalendlela elandelayo.

“Sahlangabezana nezimo ezihlasimulisa umzimba. Izidumbu zazidindilize emgwaqweni ibanga elide. Amathuna omphakathi ayegcwele izinkulungwane zezidumbu. Iphunga lalingabekezeleleki njengoba sasidlula phakathi kwesinyokotho sabantu, izingane zidlala eduze kwezidumbu. Kwakunezidumbu zabazali izingane zabo ezazisaphila zibambelele emihlane yabo. Izimo ezinjalo, eziphindaphindekayo, zimba elikhulu inxeba. Umuntu uzizwa engazi ukuthi angenzani, futhi awukwazi ukungathinteki ngezinga losizi nencithakalo.”

Lapho ababaleki begobhozela eZaire ngamashumi ezinkulungwane phakathi no-July, oFakazi baseZaire baya emngceleni baphakamisa izincwadi zabo zeBhayibheli ukuze abazalwane babo abangamaKristu nabantu abathakazelayo bakwazi ukubabona. OFakazi abangababaleki baseRwanda baqoqelwa ndawonye base beyiswa eHholo LoMbuso eliseduze naseGoma, lapho bathola khona ukunakekelwa. OFakazi abanokuhlangenwe nakho kwezokwelapha bazikhandla ukuze badambise usizi lweziguli, nakuba yayingekho imithi eyanele nezindawo ezikahle.

Ukusabela Ngokushesha Ekuhluphekeni

NgoLwesihlanu, ngo-July 22, oFakazi BakaJehova eFrance bathola umyalezo wokucela usizo owawuvela e-Afrika uthunyelwe ngomshini we-fax. Wawuchaza isimo esibucayi sabazalwane babo abangamaKristu ababebaleka eRwanda. Emizuzwini emihlanu noma eyishumi bewutholile lomyalezo, abazalwane banquma ukulayisha izinto zosizo endizeni ethwala izimpahla. Lokhu kwaholela empelasontweni yokulungiselela ngamandla, okwakuyinto eyayiphawuleka ngempela uma kucatshangelwa ukuthi babengenakho okuhlangenwe nakho kokuhlela umsebenzi wosizo omkhulu kangako ngesikhashana nje.

Kwaba nokusabela okukhulu esidingweni sezimali zosizo. OFakazi baseBelgium eFrance nabaseSwitzerland kuphela banikela imali engaphezu kuka-R5 800 000. Izinto zosizo zatholakala, kuhlanganise nokudla, imithi, nezinto zokuziphilisa, futhi konke kwafakwa emabhokisini futhi kwabhalwa amagama ezikhungweni zoFakazi BakaJehova eLouviers, eFrance, naseBrussels, eBelgium. OFakazi basebenza ubusuku nemini ukuze balungiselele lezizimpahla ukuba ziyiswe e-Ostend, eBelgium. Esikhumulweni sezindiza salapho, ngoLwesithathu, ngo-July 27, kwalayishwa amathani angaphezu kuka-35 endizeni yezimpahla. Ngakusasa kwathunyelwa umthwalo omncanyana, ikakhulukazi imithi. NgoMgqibelo, ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva, enye indiza yayisa imithi eyengeziwe ezisulwini.

OFakazi baseFrance, kuhlanganise nodokotela, baya eGoma ngaphambi kwalezizimpahla eziningi. NgoMsombuluko, ngo-July 25, lapho uDkt. Henri Tallet efika eGoma, kwase kufe oFakazi abangu-20 ngenxa yekholera, futhi abanye babefa nsuku zonke. Ngenxa yokuthi lezizimpahla kwakudingeka zidlule ngaseBujumbura, eBurundi, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-250, zaze zafika eGoma ngoLwesihlanu ekuseni, ngo-July 29.

Ukubhekana Nezifo

Ngalesosikhathi, esiqeshaneni sendawo esasineHholo LoMbuso elincane eGoma, kwakuminyene oFakazi abangaba ngu-1 600 kanye nabangane babo. Kubo bonke lababantu, kwakunendlu yangasese eyodwa, amanzi engekho, nokudla okuncane kakhulu. Abaningi ababephethwe ikholera babeminyene eHholo LoMbuso. Lalidlondlobala inani labafayo.

Ikholera iwaqeda ngokuphelele amanzi asemzimbeni womuntu. Amehlo abenyezela njengengilazi bese epheqeka ebheka phezulu. Uma umuntu elashwa ngendlela yokubuyisela amanzi emzimbeni kusenesikhathi, ululama ngezinsuku ezimbili. Ngakho-ke, kwenziwa imizamo esheshayo yokuba kubuyiselwe amanzi emizimbeni yabazalwane ngaleyomithi eyingcosana eyayikhona.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, abazalwane bazama ukubahlalisa bodwa abagulayo ukuze bagweme ukuthelela abanye. Babefuna ukubasusa ababaleki ezimweni ezinyantisayo zaseGoma. Indawo efanelekayo yatholakala eduze naseLake Kivu, kude nezintuli nephunga lezidumbu elaligcwele emoyeni.

Kwambiwa izindlu zangasese, futhi kwamiswa imithetho eqinile yokuhlanzeka. Lemithetho yayihlanganisa ukuba umuntu ageze izandla zakhe endishini enesibulala-magciwane namanzi ngemva kokuya endlini yangasese. Kwagcizelelwa ukubaluleka kwalemithetho futhi abantu bakwamukela lokho okwakudingeka bakwenze. Ngokushesha kwadanjiswa ukubhebhetheka kwalesisifo esibulalayo.

Lapho kufika izimpahla zosizo ngoLwesihlanu, ngo-July 29, kwamiswa isibhedlela esincane eHholo LoMbuso laseGoma. Kwafakwa imibhede yasekamu engu-60, kuhlanganise nesimiso sokuhlanza amanzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwayiswa amatende koFakazi ababakhe osebeni lwaseLake Kivu. Ngokushesha base bemise amatende angaba ngu-50 ngemigqa emihle, ehlelekile.

Ngesinye isikhathi oFakazi abangaba ngu-150 nabangane babo babegula bebangwa nezibi. Ngesonto lokuqala ku-August kwase kufe abangaphezu kuka-40 eGoma. Kodwa imithi yokwelapha nosizo kwafika kusenesikhathi ukuze kusindise ukuphila kwabaningi nokunqanda ukuhlupheka okuningi.

Abantu Ababongayo, Abangokomoya

Ababaleki abangoFakazi babonga kakhulu ngakho konke ababenzelwa khona. Bathinteka ngothando abaluboniswa abazalwane babo abangamaKristu abakwamanye amazwe, nangobufakazi obusobala bokuthi bangabazalwane bomhlaba wonke.

Naphezu kobunzima babo, lababaleki baye basilondoloza isimo sabo esingokomoya. Eqinisweni, omunye owazibonela ngawakhe waphawula ukuthi “babonakala bekukhathalele kakhulu ukuthola ukudla okungokomoya kunokuthola usizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo, nakuba empeleni bedinga yonke into.” Amakamu ababaleki ahlukahlukene acela ukuthunyelelwa amakhophi angu-5 000 ensiza-kufunda yeBhayibheli ethi Ungaphila Phakade EPharadesi Emhlabeni ngolimi lwaseRwanda isiKinyarwanda.b

Ababaleki babecabangela itekisi leBhayibheli usuku ngalunye, futhi behlela nemihlangano yebandla. Kwenziwa namalungiselelo okuqhuba amakilasi ezingane. Othisha bawasebenzisa ngokunenzuzo lawomakilasi ukuze bafundise ngemithetho yokuhlanzeka, begcizelela ukuthi ukusinda kuxhomeke ekugcinweni kwayo.

Kudingeka Usizo Oluqhubekayo

Kwakunamakhulu ababaleki abangoFakazi kwezinye izindawo ngaphandle kwaseGoma, njengaseRutshuru. Nalabazalwane bathola usizo olufanayo. Ngo-July 31, iqembu loFakazi abangu-7 lahamba ngendiza lisuka eGoma laya eningizimu eBukavu, lapho kwakunoFakazi abangababaleki abangaba ngu-450. Iningi labo nalo lalivela eBurundi. Kwakubheduke ikholera lapho, futhi kwatholakala usizo lokuzama ukunqanda ukufa phakathi kwabazalwane.

Ngakusasa leliqembu lahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-150 ngomgwaqo oya e-Uvira, eZaire, owawunoFakazi abangaba ngu-1 600 ezindaweni ezingu-7 ababevela eRwanda naseBurundi. Bafundiswa indlela yokuzivikela ezifweni. Omunye umbiko osekelwe kulokho okwatholwa yileliqembu wathi: “Okuye kwenziwa kuze kube manje kuseyisiqalo nje, futhi abantu abangu-4 700 abathola usizo lwethu njengamanje bazodinga usizo oluqhubekayo izinyanga eziningi.”

Kubikwa ukuthi oFakazi abaningi babuyela eRwanda ngo-August. Kodwa cishe wonke amakhaya nempahla kwaphangwa. Ngakho inselele esele eyokwakha kabusha imizi namaHholo OMbuso.

Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyaqhubeka zibakhulekela ngobuqotho labo abaye bahlupheka kabuhlungu kangaka eRwanda. Siyazi ukuthi njengoba isiphelo salesisimiso sezinto sisondela, ubudlova bungase budlange. Nokho, oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bazoqhubeka belondoloza ukungathathi-hlangothi kwabo kobuKristu nokubonisa isihawu esiqotho.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 12]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

RWANDA

Kigali

UGANDA

ZAIRE

Rutshuru

Goma

Lake Kivu

Bukavu

Uvira

BURUNDI

Bujumbura

[Izithombe ekhasini 15]

Kwesobunxele: UNtabana Eugène nomkhaya wakhe babulawa. Kwesokudla: UMukagisagara Denise, ongumTutsi, wabulawa, naphezu kwemizamo yabazalwane abangamaHutu yokumphephisa

[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

Phezulu: Ukunakekela iziguli eHholo LoMbuso eGoma. Phansi kwesobunxele: Amathani angaphezu kuka-35 ezinto zosizo ezalungiselelwa oFakazi zase zithunyelwa ngendiza yezimpahla. Ngezansi: Eduze naseLake Kivu, lapho oFakazi bathuthelwa khona. Phansi kwesokudla: Ababaleki baseRwanda eHholo LoMbuso laseZaire